wondered if she was thinking the same thing. Just when I was ready to go in and check on her, everything quieted.
However, it didn’t take long for me to realize she was still restless in her sleep. Her pulse would jump. She would kick her covers or make soft, distressed noises. I hated that we’d done that to her.
Around midnight, she woke with a gasp. I stayed on the couch, listening. After a moment I heard her get out of bed. She closed every window in her room then went to her brothers’ room and did the same. It wasn’t cool enough outside to warrant closing the windows. That meant she was afraid.
When she stepped out into the hall, she froze.
“Bad dream,” she said quietly.
I sat up and motioned for her to join me. She quietly crossed the room and sat beside me, leaning against my side. I wrapped my arm around her and held her close as she trembled.
“Go to sleep,” I said softly.
She exhaled slowly and laid her head on my shoulder. It was the best feeling on Earth. Not just her physical contact, but her trust. Something had frightened her, but she was willing to sleep if I held her.
The trembling eased, and I kissed the top of her head. Within minutes, she slept. I held her for a while before easing us onto the couch. It wasn’t meant for sleeping, let alone sleeping two. The narrow cushions meant some creative cuddling. Not that I minded. I just hoped Michelle wouldn’t either when she woke. With Michelle as my blanket, I closed my eyes.
Chapter 15
She shifted slightly in her sleep, waking me. It was well past dawn, and I wanted to stretch and enjoy how great I felt. It wasn’t the good night’s sleep that had me feeling content and relaxed. Michelle still lay draped over me. Her scent wrapped around my senses as tightly as her arm wrapped around my chest.
I could wake up like this every morning. Just so long as she didn’t wake up before I could hide the evidence of just how much I liked holding her all night.
She chose that moment to lift her head and meet my gaze. Morning light brightened her blue eyes and added contrast to her increasingly pink cheeks. Her eyes widened a moment before she scrambled to get off me.
Her knee planted right between my legs. Again.
I barely noticed her sprint to the bathroom as I lay still and tried to regain my breath. If Jim had seen that, he would have died laughing.
After a few moments, I rolled off the couch and limped to my apartment. A cool shower helped a little. Time helped more.
When I walked into Winifred’s apartment, I barely had a hitch to my step. Mary and Gregory didn’t seem to notice. I ignored Winifred’s knowing smirk as I joined them at the table.
“Thank you for allowing us the use of your apartment, Emmitt,” Gregory said. “I’ll be sure to let your father know the progress you’ve made.”
“Not me. Jim. I’ve only been home a few weeks.”
I reached to help myself to the remaining breakfast.
“And finished a whole apartment and repainted the outside of the house and built a play area for the cubs. It’s a lot of improvement in a few weeks. We look forward to the changes in the upcoming weeks.”
Already the weight of responsibility troubled me. How would I ever be a good leader?
“Where are Paul and Henry?” I asked Mary, hoping to change the subject.
“Still sleeping. They stayed up late with Jim, watching a movie about pie and America, I believe.”
I recalled watching the movie a few years ago and coughed on my eggs. If Mary ever found out what Jim had let them watch, he’d be the one walking with a limp.
It wasn’t long before the boys came running downstairs. Paul and Henry didn’t sleep long after that. The little time they had left before leaving, they spent playing in the yard with Liam and Aden.
Everyone was on the porch when Michelle joined us, freshly showered. She wouldn’t meet my eyes but did stand beside me. Hopefully that meant she was embarrassed by my interest rather than angry with it.
After Mary and Gregory left, the boys talked us all into a game of baseball. They never seemed to tire of the game and basked in Winifred’s praise every time they caught the ball or scored a run. Jim’s return home gave us a chance to call a break